DHAKA: Turkey’s governing AK party has lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years, near-complete election results show.

The surprise outcome also sees the pro-Kurdish HDP crossing the 10 percent threshold, securing seats for the first time.

With 99 percent of the vote counted, the AKP has 41 percent of the vote, BBC reports.

The result is a blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans to boost his office’s powers.

President Erdogan, who first came to power as prime minister in 2003, had been seeking a two-thirds majority to turn Turkey into a presidential republic.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu appeared to have accepted the results. “The people's decision is the most correct decision,” he said while preparing to fly from his hometown of Konya to the capital, Ankara.

BDST: 0905 HRS, JUNE 08, 2015
BD